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Showing posts with the label 2008 election

What Did the Voters Intend on Energy?

In a November 7 posting , the Wall Street Journal's Environmental Capital blog provides an excellent summary of the various "messages" observers believe voters sent about their desires on energy policy during this election. While some clean energy advocates believe the voters expressed a clear mandate for clean energy, exits polls suggest that the voters' message may be more nuanced (i.e., mixed) than advocates would like. It seems the voters were far more interested in the candidates' economic proposals than their energy proposals, according to exit polls cited in the posting. While both candidates promised action on climate change, the public's concerns about economic security appear to trump concerns about longer term challenges, such as climate change, making voters less eager to bear the costs that will fall on the public when government-mandated carbon controls are implemented. Whether "election haruspicy " interests you or not, the Environme...